Critics Mourn Loss of Comprehensive History at US National Monuments
The US National Park Service (NPS) has removed several historical exhibits and informational signs from national monuments across the country, following a presidential executive order aimed at reframing America's narrative. The move has sparked widespread criticism, with many arguing that it erases the country's complex history and diminishes the credibility of the NPS.
One such monument is the President's House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which once featured panels highlighting the lives of enslaved people who lived on the property during George Washington's presidency. The panels were removed as part of a broader effort to conform to Trump's executive order, leaving the site with "blank spaces" where the exhibits once stood.
"This is so shameful," said Ed Stierli, Executive Director of the National Parks Conservation Association. "The NPS has made tremendous strides in recent decades in teaching the facts about difficult topics like slavery. By removing this exhibit and signs from parks around the country, visitors are going to miss out on the full picture of our nation's history that deserves to be told in national parks."
The removal of exhibits is part of a larger effort by the Trump administration to reframe America's history and cultural narrative. Over a dozen national parks have been flagged for review, with several monuments already experiencing changes.
Critics argue that the move undermines the NPS's mission to educate the public about the country's complex history, including the experiences of Native American communities and enslaved people.
"It destroys the hard work of dedicated scholars," said Dr. Leo Killsback, a Northern Cheyenne descendent who designed panels about the Cheyenne at Little Bighorn battlefield national monument in 2014. "American culture is enriched when Native perspectives are acknowledged and fairly represented, especially when presented at a national monument."
Dr. Rasul Mowatt, a sociology, anthropology, and natural resources professor at North Carolina State University, notes that the US has a long history of suppressing Indigenous histories and narratives.
"There's always been suppression," Mowatt said. "Official histories of the US are a reflection of what that country would like itself to be seen as by both people inside and outside of it, but there's conflicting histories amongst different people."
The removal of exhibits and signs has made American history more inaccessible to the public, according to Stierli.
"There's a particular power that comes with learning about these stories in the place that they happened, in the place where it was," he said. "And it's just a completely different experience than what it would be if you're reading it on your phone, on a website or in a book."
As the US prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday this year, critics are urging the NPS to reconsider its approach and prioritize accuracy and inclusivity.
"We need to acknowledge and celebrate our history, while acknowledging the good parts and the bad," Stierli said.
The US National Park Service (NPS) has removed several historical exhibits and informational signs from national monuments across the country, following a presidential executive order aimed at reframing America's narrative. The move has sparked widespread criticism, with many arguing that it erases the country's complex history and diminishes the credibility of the NPS.
One such monument is the President's House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which once featured panels highlighting the lives of enslaved people who lived on the property during George Washington's presidency. The panels were removed as part of a broader effort to conform to Trump's executive order, leaving the site with "blank spaces" where the exhibits once stood.
"This is so shameful," said Ed Stierli, Executive Director of the National Parks Conservation Association. "The NPS has made tremendous strides in recent decades in teaching the facts about difficult topics like slavery. By removing this exhibit and signs from parks around the country, visitors are going to miss out on the full picture of our nation's history that deserves to be told in national parks."
The removal of exhibits is part of a larger effort by the Trump administration to reframe America's history and cultural narrative. Over a dozen national parks have been flagged for review, with several monuments already experiencing changes.
Critics argue that the move undermines the NPS's mission to educate the public about the country's complex history, including the experiences of Native American communities and enslaved people.
"It destroys the hard work of dedicated scholars," said Dr. Leo Killsback, a Northern Cheyenne descendent who designed panels about the Cheyenne at Little Bighorn battlefield national monument in 2014. "American culture is enriched when Native perspectives are acknowledged and fairly represented, especially when presented at a national monument."
Dr. Rasul Mowatt, a sociology, anthropology, and natural resources professor at North Carolina State University, notes that the US has a long history of suppressing Indigenous histories and narratives.
"There's always been suppression," Mowatt said. "Official histories of the US are a reflection of what that country would like itself to be seen as by both people inside and outside of it, but there's conflicting histories amongst different people."
The removal of exhibits and signs has made American history more inaccessible to the public, according to Stierli.
"There's a particular power that comes with learning about these stories in the place that they happened, in the place where it was," he said. "And it's just a completely different experience than what it would be if you're reading it on your phone, on a website or in a book."
As the US prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday this year, critics are urging the NPS to reconsider its approach and prioritize accuracy and inclusivity.
"We need to acknowledge and celebrate our history, while acknowledging the good parts and the bad," Stierli said.
. i mean, americans love their history, but at the same time, american history is super complicated 
. like, what's the point of celebrating america if you're just gonna ignore or downplay the parts where it messed up big time? 
. i think it's great that scholars and indigenous communities are speaking out about this - we need more diverse perspectives on our national narrative 
. can't we just have a nuanced view of american history instead of trying to fit everything into some neat narrative 
to see all those exhibits removed 
from national monuments 
! It's like erasing part of American history 
. People are really going to miss out on learning about the past 
, especially about enslaved people and Native Americans 
. I think it's a shame that these changes were made without considering how visitors would feel 
i just saw this thread from like 3 days ago and i had to chime in 
anyway, imo its super frustrating that they're erasing these exhibits. it feels like they're intentionally trying to rewrite history or something 
and honestly, its not even good history for america - its a complex, messy thing with both good and bad stuff all mixed up 
it felt like i was actually there, you know? and now its just a blank space? what are we even doing? 
I mean, what's next? Removing statues of historical figures who made mistakes? That's not how we learn from history! 
what's the point of having a museum if you're not gonna show the whole story? 
it's not like we're talking about some obscure topic here... this is our country's history we're talking about! 
like who makes decisions about what we want people to remember or forget? it's so important for museums and historical sites to show us the whole picture, not just the pretty parts 
and yeah i feel bad for ed stierli and dr killsback too 
those exhibits were so valuable in teaching us about slavery and native american experiences 
how are people supposed to learn about their country if there aren't informative signs everywhere? 
. I mean, think about it, the US has always been trying to whitewash its past and make everyone feel comfortable. Now, with these exhibits gone, people are finally being forced to confront the harsh realities of American history. It's time for a dose of reality TV, you know? And let's be real, most tourists don't even bother reading the signs anyway 
. They just want to take some cheesy selfies in front of the monument and move on with their day. So, I think this is actually a good thing - we're finally getting rid of the fake history lessons and serving up the real deal 
.
I don't get why they gotta mess with the history like that 
70% of visitors who left after the exhibit removal were from states that voted for trump 
meanwhile, visits to monuments with inclusive exhibits increased by 30% in the same period 
also, did you know that the US has over 400 national monuments but only about 10 have ever had a comprehensive history exhibit 
and yet we're seeing this 
I hope the NPS will reconsider its approach and prioritize accuracy and inclusivity. We deserve to know the full story about America's complex history! 
.
It's just not worth losing these exhibits and signs, which were so important for teaching us about our complex past 
.
.
. Newsflash: America's got a dark past and we need to face it head-on, not sweep it under the rug 
. I mean, come on guys, learn from your mistakes and acknowledge the good AND the bad 
. We can't keep sweeping this under the rug and expecting everything to magically fix itself 
. Get it together, America! 
. We need to make sure that everyone has access to the full story of our country's history, both the good and the bad. And its not just about educating people - its also about giving them a chance to process their own emotions and thoughts when they visit these monuments